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Chicago, Detroit Chicago cancels school as record-setting Omicron wave spurs more disruptions

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CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Chicago officials canceled classes in the nation's third-largest school district on Wednesday amid a dispute with the teachers' union, the latest disruption to U.S. education and life as the Omicron variant spurs a record-setting COVID-19 surge.

The move came after the teachers' union voted late on Tuesday to return to remote learning and pushed for more rigorous safety protocols, citing concerns about the rapid spread of the highly infectious Omicron variant that has upended air travel, Broadway shows and back-to-office plans in recent weeks.

The rolling seven-day average number of new COVID-19 cases in the United States hit 540,000, a new high for an eighth consecutive day on Tuesday. The country shattered global records for a single day with nearly 1 million new infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally.

Those staggering numbers have led many companies and school officials to reconsider plans for returning to work and classes after the holiday break.

While most public school districts nationwide opted to open their doors, cities including Milwaukee, Atlanta and Detroit either implemented online instruction or delayed back-to-school due to staff shortages and Omicron concerns.

Chicago officials including Mayor Lori Lightfoot have been pressing to keep classrooms open, citing low hospitalization rates among the city's children. ...

 

ALSO SEE: Detroit, other metro schools opt to go virtual as COVID-19 cases skyrocket

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